Why Is Apple CarPlay Screen Black? Here’s Why & How to Fix 

If you’re wondering why is Apple CarPlay screen black, wonder no more and keep reading!

By today’s standards, we expect Apple’s CarPlay feature to work smoothly but when the black screen appears, we often rush to conclusions.

Well, we’re here to tell you that there are many settings on your iPhone causing CarPlay issues, including persistent and buggy black screens.

If your CarPlay screen is black, update your iPhone, verify the vehicle’s connection, allow CarPlay through the options, and reconnect.

If this doesn’t help you may need to reset the car stereo and your iPhone to default settings.

Let’s jump into the guide!

Why is Apple CarPlay Screen Black? – Complete Solution!

There are a lot of ways to fix the black screen in CarPlay so let’s get started…

1. Update your iPhone to iOS 17

According to many sources and user reports, Apple’s CarPlay feature black screen appears on devices still running the outdated iOS 16.

In that regard, we strongly recommend updating as soon as possible to the latest iOS 17 to verify that the fault is not caused by the known problem.

To update your iOS device, follow the steps below:

1. On your Apple device go to the “Settings.”
2. Then, enter the “General” tab from the list.
3. Next, tap “Software Update” from the top.
4. Wait for the “Checking for Update…” scan.
5. If iOS 17 shows, tap “Download & Install.”

Note: Your iPhone must be charged above 75% to update the software!

2. Verify the CarPlay Connection

The black screen on your Apple CarPlay can be caused by a faulty wired/wireless connection, so it’s important to verify that the bond is intact. 

Optimizing Wireless Connection:

• Ensure your vehicle’s stereo is in Bluetooth mode.
• Verify that the smartphone is within 10-feet range.
• Verify the phone has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled.

Optimizing Wired Connection:

• Reconnect the USB to USB-A or lightning cable.
• Ensure the cable is tightly plugged on both sides.
• Try a different USB wire compatible with the setup.

Quick Tip: If everything is intact, but the Apple CarPlay screen is black, return to the home screen, remove the settings tab from the memory, and reopen it.

3. Ensure your CarPlay is Allowed

iPhones are equipped with content restriction settings that allow you to forbid specific apps and if your Apple CarPlay is disabled, you’ll see a black screen.

So, the next step is to reach within the restriction settings of the Apple device and ensure that Apple CarPlay is allowed/enabled.

Here’s how to lift any CarPlay restrictions on iPhone:

1. From the main screen go to your “Settings.”
2. Then go to the “Screen Time” tab in the list.
3. Press on “Content & Privacy Restrictions.”
4. Go down and tap on the “Allowed Apps” tab.
5. Find “CarPlay” and make sure that it’s “ON.”

If your CarPlay was “off” then that explains the black screen.

So, go ahead, enable the feature, reboot your iPhone, and test whether you can now connect to the car and enjoy your features.

4. Verify that Siri is Not Disabled

Well, Apple’s CarPlay will not work if your iPhone’s Siri is disabled.

The CarPlay primarily uses Siri voice control, so the black screen that you’re seeing could be because Siri is not enabled.

Here’s how to enable Siri on your iPhone:

1. From the main screen, go to “Settings.”
2. Scroll down and tap on “Siri & Search.”
3. Verify that “Listen for Hey Siri” is “ON.”
4. Toggle on “Press Side Button for Siri.”
5. Also, enable “Allow Siri When Locked.”

Note: If prompted, you might need to set up Siri by narrating different phrases!

5. Unpair & Pair CarPlay to the Car

Sometimes the Apple CarPlay back screen is caused by faulty connection which you can easily refresh by “forgetting” the vehicle and pairing again.

This means ultimately removing the profile of the car from the CarPlay settings, and then pairing from scratch which will refresh the linking.

Here’s how to forget your vehicle from Apple’s CarPlay:

1. Go to the “Settings” and enter “General.”
2. Tap on “CarPlay” and select your vehicle.
3. Lastly, tap on “Forget this car” to unpair.

When you’re ready, verify that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled on your iPhone and pair CarPlay to your car to check the black screen.

If this doesn’t work, you can try switching to a wired bond, which requires a USB-A or lightning cable to USB, if your vehicle’s stereo supports USB inputs.

6. Turn OFF/ON Bluetooth & Wi-Fi

If you use a wireless connection to pair Apple’s CarPlay to the vehicle, there is a high chance that the problem comes either from the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi setting.

That’s why the next method is to simply turn OFF and ON features one by one, which can quickly solve the black screen.

• To restart Bluetooth, go to Settings → Bluetooth → Toggle OFF → Toggle ON.
• To restart the Wi-Fi, go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Toggle OFF → Toggle ON.

One More Thing: Airplane Mode!

To turn OFF everything at once, we recommend toggling on the Airplane mode from the quick access menu of your iPhone for 60 seconds.

Then re-enable the feature and test the CarPlay.

That’s it. When you re-enable the features, wait for 60 seconds and head back into the CarPlay to check whether the black screen is still there.

If yes, then continue reading the steps ahead…

7. Shutdown and Reboot the iPhone

A quick and effective solution for Apple’s CarPlay black screen problem is to “Shut down” and power on your device.

Please note, this is not equal to a simple “Restart” as shutting down the device will discharge the iPhone, also known as “power cycle” solving most CarPlay problems.

• To turn off any iPhone, go to Settings → General → Shutdown → slide to power off.

Your iPhone will now turn off and will not automatically turn on.

So, after 40–60 seconds, hold the power button to turn on your iPhone and head back into CarPlay to check the black screen.

Reminder: After a shutdown restart, your iPhone needs 2–3 minutes to turn on all services!

8. Disable the VPN and Antivirus

So, if you have VPN or Antivirus enabled on your iPhone, this may sometimes cause the black screen in CarPlay.

This restriction software can either be set up through the iPhone settings or represent a third-party application installed from the App Store.

How to Stop VPN on iPhone?

For example, iOS iPhones have in-built VPN functionality, which if set up, you must disable.

The feature can be accessed through the iOS Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.

How to Stop Antivirus on iPhone?

There is no in-built antivirus on iPhones and if you have such restrictions enabled, then there is an app downloaded from the App Store.

You must locate such apps and disable/uninstall them.

If you have no VPN or Antivirus, but the CarPlay screen is black, continue reading ahead…

9. Factory Reset your Car Stereo

So, if you see a black screen when you open Apple’s CarPlay settings, and your vehicle is not discovered, you may need to factory reset your car stereo.

Well, car radios are different, and we can’t provide you with the exact steps for a factory reset, so it’s best to check the user manual.

Here’s a quick and universal guide, which resets most car stereos:

1. First, press the “SRC” (Source) button on the radio.
2. Turn the dial button to navigate to “Menu/Settings.”
3. In there, look and select the “Factory Reset” option.

Warning: Factory resetting your car stereo will unpair ALL Bluetooth devices and forget your iPhone’s CarPlay connection.

10. Reset Your iPhone to Default

So, if nothing works and your Apple CarPlay screen is black to no avail, it’s time to reset your iPhone, which is a delicate procedure.

We strongly recommend creating an iCloud backup, so you can download all of your data when the reset is over, and resolve the backscreen problem.

Here’s how to create an iCloud backup:

1. Go to the Settings and tap your name.
2. Insert the Apple ID password, if asked.
3. Then, tap on “iCloud” from the settings.
4. Tap on “iCloud Backup” and turn it on.
5. Lastly, select “Backup Now” and wait.

Here’s how to factory reset your iPhone:

1. When the backup is done, go to Settings.
2. Then, enter within your “General” section.
3. Next, tap on “Transfer or Reset iPhone.”
4. Choose “Erase All Content and Settings.”
5. Confirm your reset and wait until it’s done.

When the reset is over, Apple’s CarPlay should work! 

If not, however, your iPhone may be problematic, so you should test CarPlay on a different iOS device or with a different car stereo.

Additionally, you can contact Apple Support for more help!

Conclusion

Why is Apple Carplay screen black?

So, the black screen in CarPlay is known to appear on iOS 16, so, begin with updating to iOS 17, check the connection, and reconnect.

Also, stop restrictions such as VPN, enable Siri, and factory reset the iPhone or your car stereo.

Follow us for more Apple CarPlay troubleshooting and guides!